The dim, pulsing light of the 4th branch's labyrinthine corridors painted Yurika's path as she strode away from the fallen commanders. Her plasma blades hummed softly at her sides, flickering with residual energy. Behind her, the silence was heavy, broken only by the distant mechanical thrum of the facility. The taste of victory lingered on her lips, and her smirk was one of satisfaction.
She glanced at the bloodied ground where Thane Xyro and Liora Crest had fallen, their bodies still. "Goodbye, Goodie Hunters," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head as if dismissing a trivial nuisance.
But as she turned a corner, her stride faltered. A faint sound reached her ears—barely a whisper, but unmistakable. She spun around, her eyes narrowing as she retraced her steps toward the battle-scarred chamber.
"You think we're dead?"
The voice was ragged but carried an undeniable strength. Yurika's breath caught as she turned to see Thane and Liora rising from the ground. Their wounds, once grievous and fatal, were knitting together before her eyes, the gashes sealing themselves as their blood seemed to dissolve into thin air.
"You should know better," Liora said, her voice sharp. She rolled her shoulders, the movement fluid and unhindered by pain. "Manav always thinks ahead."
Yurika's smirk faded, replaced by a flicker of confusion that quickly hardened into suspicion. "What are you playing at?"
Thane stepped forward, his towering frame imposing. His eyes locked onto Yurika's, and a faint glow emanated from his body. "You're strong," he said evenly, his voice carrying a weight that matched his presence. "Stronger than us. That much is true."
"But Manav knew that," Liora interjected, her tone colder now. She raised her blade, its edge glowing faintly with the same aura that surrounded her body. "He always knows."
The realization dawned on Yurika, and her expression twisted into anger. "What are you saying?"
"You've been fighting against more than just us," Thane said. "Manav gave us his aura before this mission—an extension of his power. Every strike you landed on us didn't just fail to hurt us." He smirked, a cruel edge to his expression. "It hurt your own commanders instead."
Yurika's breath hitched. Her mind raced as the implications of their words sunk in. She thought back to every strike she had landed, every surge of energy she had unleashed. It had felt wrong somehow, as if the power didn't flow quite the way it should have.
"We spread Manav's aura to every one of your commanders in this facility," Liora said, her voice rising with triumph. "Every time you hit us, you were killing your own people."
"You've already lost," Thane finished, his voice carrying the finality of a death knell.
Yurika's hands tightened around her plasma blades, her knuckles white. "You bastards," she hissed. "You think you've outsmarted me? You think this is over?"
Her fury ignited, and she lunged at them, her blades carving through the air. But Thane and Liora moved in unison, their auras flaring to life. The energy surrounding them was no longer a faint glow—it was a storm, a pulsing, living force that radiated with an intensity that made the walls tremble.
Yurika's blades met Thane's massive weapon, the clash reverberating through the corridor. Sparks flew as they pushed against each other, their faces inches apart.
"This ends here," Thane growled, his strength forcing Yurika back.
Liora was on her in an instant, her movements a blur as she attacked from the side. Yurika barely managed to deflect the blow, the force of it sending her skidding backward. Her breathing was ragged now, her once-fluid movements slowing as exhaustion crept in.
"You're running out of power," Liora said, her voice taunting. "All that strength you used against us—and against your own people—has left you weaker than you realize."
Yurika snarled, her anger fueling a desperate burst of speed. She spun, her plasma blades weaving an intricate pattern of light as she attacked both Thane and Liora simultaneously. The fight became a whirlwind of motion, each combatant pushing themselves to the limit.
But the aura surrounding Thane and Liora was relentless. Every time Yurika struck, it retaliated, lashing out with searing energy that cut through her defenses. She stumbled, her movements faltering as her reserves dwindled.
Thane seized the opening, his blade crashing down with a force that shattered one of Yurika's plasma weapons. The pieces scattered across the floor, glowing faintly before fading into darkness.
Yurika screamed, a guttural sound of rage and pain. She raised her remaining blade, but Liora was already there, her weapon driving forward in a precise thrust that pierced Yurika's side.
Blood spilled onto the ground as Yurika staggered back, clutching the wound. Her vision blurred, the world spinning around her. She dropped her plasma blade, the weapon clattering to the floor.
"It's over," Thane said, his voice cold.
Yurika looked up at him, her eyes blazing with defiance even as her body betrayed her. "You think… you've won?" she gasped, her words barely audible. "Manav… he'll fall… just like the rest."
Thane didn't respond. He raised his blade, the weapon glowing with the combined aura of himself and Liora.
"This is for the lives you've taken," he said, his voice steady.
With a final, devastating swing, he unleashed a surge of energy that consumed Yurika's body. The light was blinding, the force of the attack shaking the very foundations of the facility. When it faded, Yurika was gone—her body obliterated, leaving nothing but silence in her wake.
Thane and Liora stood amidst the wreckage, their auras dimming as the energy settled. They exchanged a glance, their expressions weary but resolute.
"It's done," Liora said quietly, lowering her blade.
Thane nodded, his gaze lingering on the spot where Yurika had fallen. "Manav's plan worked," he said. "But this is only the beginning."
As they turned to leave, the facility around them seemed to shudder, the echoes of their battle still resonating through its halls. The 4th branch had been claimed, but the war was far from over.